


First Impression

by Sheogorath



Series: The Kinthan Duology [1]
Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Genre: AR, Gen, Hatching, Impression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-28
Updated: 2014-04-28
Packaged: 2018-01-21 04:51:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1538249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sheogorath/pseuds/Sheogorath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A trader boy seems set for disappointment during a Hatching, only for him to be paired with the most surprising dragon of all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Impression

**Author's Note:**

> Normally, I would have followed the rules Anne McCaffrey set when she allowed fanfic, but the trademark ones are such a nonsense under UK and US laws that I wrote this as an act of critical rebellion.  
> BTW, Kinthan's name has a Scottish pronunciation, so you would say it Kintan, with the A pronounced more like ah than aw.

# First Impression.

Kinthan, a slightly-built, swarthy trader boy of nineteen turns old, had been nervous enough while riding a dragon towards Benden Weyr, his namesake's arms holding him securely on the bronze creature's back, corded muscles bunching while strong, gloved hands gripped the reins. Now, as the heat rising from the sands of the Hatching Ground made itself known through the soles of the sandals he wore, Kinthan felt a surge of sickening disappointment rush through him when the last bronze egg hatched and another boy rushed towards the dragonet, a multitude of emotions on his face. Oh well, there were other eggs still to hatch. However, once the remaining brown, green, and blue eggs had hatched, it was other Candidates who gave the dragonets their first meals, and tears came close to filling Kinthan's own startlingly emerald orbs.

"Never mind," came K'dan's voice as his arm slipped around the boy's shoulders in a gesture of comfort. "There's always the next time, you know."

"After that, I'll be too old to Impress," Kinthan replied bitterly as he was led away from the lone queen egg, around which the small group of female Candidates that were left had already gathered. "If I don't get a dragon by then, then I never will, and I'll be too old to apprentice to any of the crafthalls as well."

"You never know _what_ might happen," K'dan responded in an encouraging tone, his arm lightly squeezing the boy's shoulders. "For example, I didn't even _want_ a dragon when I was your age, and now I can't _possibly_ imagine what life might be like without Lurenth."

At the mention of the bronze dragon's name, Kinthan was suddenly taken back to the Search that had seen his arrival at the Weyr.

#### FLASHBACK.

Helping his mother and father pack up their belongings the day after the Gather in preparation for moving on, Kinthan suddenly heard the voice of one of Ruatha Hold's fosterlings raised in a cry of, "A Search! A Search! Dragons have come Searching!"

"You'd best get yourself out there, boy," his father, Jeriz, said. "The dragonriders won't appreciate it if they think we're hiding you, but there's always the chance you won't get picked."

On the contrary, Kinthan hoped he _would_ be selected by one of the magnificent creatures now startling the herdbeasts as they landed near the hold. He knew that he had no special skills to offer his family since it was his twin brother who had been granted the gift of seeing, so he hoped to succeed in fighting Thread, just like the dragonrider he'd been named after. Of course, Jayden might get chosen too, but that was unlikely because of his psychic ability.

A few minutes later, the identical twins stood with their younger sister, Kirana, their parents standing silently behind them as a stately bronze dragon looked them over with extreme care. Then a deep voice startled Kinthan as it said, "Yes, this one will be glorious!"

"Which one, Lurenth?" the bronze's rider asked.

"The one who does not see, of course."

"The one who does not see," the rider repeated out loud, a slight questioning tone in his voice.

"That will be Kinthan," Jeriz said, pushing his eldest son forwards slightly. "It's Jayden who has the Sight, Kinthan does not."

K'dan looked slightly startled on hearing the boy's name, but simply asked, "How do you feel about becoming a dragonrider, Kinthan?"

"Oh, yes _please_!" the boy responded breathlessly.

After that, everything else passed by in a whirl of excitement until Kinthan was standing on the warm sands of the Hatching Ground.

#### END FLASHBACK.

"And anyway," K'dan continued, unaware of Kinthan's momentary distraction, "there have been those older than you selected for apprenticeship in one of the halls."

"Yes, but that was because their skills were so great. I have no skill but trading to offer, and I don't think my father will want me back anymore. I disappointed him greatly when he learned just how much I want to be a dragonrider like you."

"Well, we'll just have to see what the future holds," K'dan said as they finally reached the seating surrounding the Hatching Ground.

The two had hardly sat down when a cracking sound announced the imminent arrival of the little queen, but although the magnificent gold creature was clearly struggling after pushing away the first small piece of shell, none of the Candidates rushed forwards to help her. After several more minutes, the gold dragonet was able to push herself free, and the girls finally stepped towards her, only to be violently pushed away with swipes of the young creature's head as she made her way over to the edges of the Hatching Ground.

At that moment, Kinthan heard a baby's voice demand plaintively, "I'm hungry, Kinthan! Feed me!" and it was only then that he discovered his dream had finally been realised. He was a dragonrider!

✱   ✱   ✱

A few minutes later, while the dragonet, whose name was Syrenath, was gulping down the large chunks of meat that Kinthan fed her, K'dan told them both, "This has to be the first Impression of a queen by any male rider, ever. Your names will be in the Records for a very long time to come, unless I miss my guess."

**Author's Note:**

> Copyright © 2014 Romersa's Protégé. Individuals and groups are free to copy and share this work for all purposes except large scale distribution, subject to credit being given and any derivatives being released under the same or a similar licence. All other rights reserved.


End file.
